Government in the 1920s: Foreign Policy

Government in the 1920s: Foreign Policy

• Wake Up Call Cartoons

  • The cartoons featured political themes of isolationism, fascism, and America's stance in world affairs, depicting figures like Hitler and Stalin as contagious ideologies that threaten civilization.
  • The phrase "America First Committee" emphasized a strong isolationist sentiment during the 1920s.

• Warren Harding's Presidency

  • Harding promoted a "Return to Normalcy" as a reaction against previous wartime policies.
  • Key Questions:
  • Does Harding support isolation or intervention? Evidence can be found in his speech advocating for normal economic and social conditions rather than entanglement in foreign conflicts.
  • Relevance of Harding's message to modern American politics and public sentiment.

• Coolidge's Inaugural Speech

  • Following Harding's death in 1923, Calvin Coolidge inherited a government focused on maintaining economic stability and cautious foreign policy.
  • Key Questions:
  • Examination of Coolidge's views on isolation vs. intervention.
  • How does his perspective align with current political climates?

• Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)

  • An international agreement attempting to eliminate war as a tool of national policy, promoting peaceful dispute resolution.

• Dawes Plan (1924)

  • A financial plan for reparations:
  • $2.6 billion in war debt payments made to the U.S.
  • U.S. loaned $2.5 billion to Germany, who in turn paid Allies $2.0 billion in reparations.

Domestic Policies and Issues

• Roaring Twenties and Consumer Revolution

  • Major advancements in mass production led by figures like Henry Ford with the Model T.
  • Emergence of a consumer culture boosted by credit and installment buying, exemplified by changing lifestyles and the popularity of jazz music.

• Prohibition

  • Enforced by the 18th amendment, prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol, leading to significant social and legal challenges.

• Scopes Monkey Trial

  • Highlighted the clash between fundamentalism and modernism regarding teaching evolution in schools.

Societal Changes and Racial Issues

• Harlem Renaissance

  • A cultural movement celebrating African American culture through music, literature, and art, with figures like Marcus Garvey advocating for black pride and independence.

• Racial Tensions and the KKK

  • The revival of the Ku Klux Klan in response to the changing social dynamics, targeting minorities and promoting nativism.

• Great Migration

  • Movement of African Americans from the South to northern cities, influenced by job opportunities during and after World War I, and exacerbated by racial violence.

Economic Conditions Leading to the Great Depression

• Stock Market Crash of 1929

  • Speculation and use of margin buying led to widespread financial collapse.

• Causes of the Great Depression:

  1. Federal Reserve policies and low interest rates.
  2. Overproduction of goods leading to market saturation.
  3. Smoot-Hawley Tariff impacting export sales.
  4. Bank failures contributing to loss of savings and investments.

Responses to the Great Depression

• Herbert Hoover's Response

  • Initially adhered to laissez-faire economic principles but later established the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and Emergency Relief and Construction Act.

• Bonus Army Incident

  • Veteran's protests demanding early payment of WWI bonuses led to military intervention and public outcry against Hoover's policies.

• FDR and the New Deal

  • Introduction of the New Deal as a response to the Great Depression, characterized by programs aimed at relief, reform, and recovery.
  • Key elements included FDIC and SEC provisions to stabilize the banking sector and stock market.

Cultural Impact of Policies

• Art and Entertainment

  • The era saw a flourishing of radio, film, and art as means of escapism during dire economic circumstances.
  • Notable works included films like "Gone with the Wind" and innovative animations from Walt Disney.

• Impact on Women and Minorities

  • African American representation in the government (the Black Cabinet) and the empowerment of women through New Deal programs affecting social dynamics.